the fortunes of oliver horn-第71节

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e　motley　company　would　have　thought　for　one　instant　that；　in　all　this　atmosphere　of　real　unrealism；　the　two　old　gentlemen　who　had　just　entered　leaning　on　Oliver's　armone　in　a　brown　coat　with　high　velvet　collar　and　fluffy　silk　scarf；　and　the　other　in　a　long　pen…wiper　cloak　which；　at　the　moment　was　slipping　from　his　shoulderswere　genuine　specimens　　of　the　period　of　to…day　without　a　touch　of　makeup　　about　them；　that　their　old…time　manners；　even　to　the　quaint　bows　they　both　gave　the　master　of　ceremonies；　　as　they　entered　the　royal　chamber；　were　their　very　own；　part　of　their　daily　equipment；　and　that　nothing　in　the　gorgeous　banquet　hall；　from　the　jewelled　rapier　belted　to　Oliver's　side；　and　which　had　once　graced　the　collection　of　a　prince；　down　to　the　priceless　bit　of　satsuma　set　out　on　the　table　and　now　stuffed　full　of　cigarettes　（the　bit　could　be　traced　back　to　the　Ming　dynasty）；　were　any　more　veritable　or　genuine；　or　any　more　representative　of　the　best　their　periods　afforded　than　these　two　quaint　old　gentlemen　　from　Kennedy　Square。

Had　there　been　any　doubt　in　the　minds　of　any　such　wiseacre；　either　regarding　their　authenticity　or　their　quality；　he　had　only　to　listen　to　Oliver's　　presentation　of　his　father　and　friend　and　to　hear　Richard　say；　in　his　most　courteous　manner　and　in　his　most　winning　voice：

〃I　have　never　been　more　honored；　sir。　It　was　more　than　kind　of　you　to　wish　me　to　come。　My　only　regret　is　that　I　am　not　your　age；　or　I　would　certainly　have　appeared　in　a　costume　more　befitting　the　occasion。　　I　have　never　dreamed　of　so　beautiful　a　place。〃

Or　to　see　him　lift　his　hand　in　astonishment　as　he　swept　his　eye　over　the　room；　his　arm　still　resting　on　the　velvet　sleeve　of　Oliver's　doublet；　and　hear　him　add；　in　a　half　whisper：

〃Wonderful！　Wonderful！　Such　harmony　of　color；　such　an　exquisite　light。　I　am　amazed　at　the　splendor　of　it　all。　What　Aladdin　among　you；　my　son；　held　the　lamp　that　evoked　all　this　beauty？〃

Or　still　more　convincing　would　it　have　been　had　he　watched　him　moving　about　the　room；　shaking　every　man's　hand　in　turn；　Oliver　mentioning　their　real　names　and　their　several　qualifications；　and　after　ward　the　characters　they　assumed；　and　Richard　commenting　　on　each　profession　in　a　way　quite　his　own。

〃A　musician；　sir；〃　he　would　have　heard　him　exclaim　　as　he　grasped　Simmons's　hand；　over　which　hung　a　fall　of　antique　lace；　〃I　have　loved　music　all　my　days。　It　is　an　additional　bond　between　us；　sir。　And　the　costume　is　quite　in　keeping　with　your　art。　How　delightful　it　would　be；　my　dear　sir；　if　we　could　discard　　forever　the　sombre　clothes　of　our　day　and　go　back　to　the　velvets　and　silks　Of　the　past。〃

〃Mr。　Stedman；　did　you　say；　my　son？〃　and　he　turned　to　Oliver。　〃You　have　certainly　mentioned　this　gentleman's　name　to　me　before。　If　I　do　not　mistake；　　he　is　one　of　your　very　old　friends。　There　is　no　need　of　your　telling　me　that　you　are　Lorenzo。　I　can　quite　understand　now　why　Jessica　lost　her　heart。〃

Or　to　see　him　turn　to　Jack　Bedford　with：　〃You　don't　tell　me　so！　Mr。　John　Bedford；　did　you　say；　Oliver？　Ah；　but　we　should　not　be　strangers；　sir。　If　I　am　right；　you　are　a　fellow…townsman　of　ours；　and　have　already　distinguished　yourself　in　your　profession。　　Your　costume　is　especially　becoming　to　you；　sir。　What　discernment　you　have　shown。　Permit　me　to　say；　that　with　you　the　old　adage　must　be　reversed　this　time　the　man　makes　the　clothes。〃

The　same　adage　could　really　have　been　applied　to　this　old　gentleman's　own　dress；　had　he　but　only　known　it。　He　had　not　altered　it　in　twenty　years；　even　after　it　had　become　a　matter　of　comment　among　his　neighbors　in　Kennedy　Square。

〃I　always　associate　one's　clothes　with　one's　manners；〃　　he　would　say；　with　a　smile。　〃If　they　are　good；　and　suited　to　the　occasion；　best　not　change　them。〃　Nathan　was　of　the　same　mind。　The　wide　hat；　long；　evenly　parted　hair；　and　pen…wiper　cloak　could　be　traced　to　these　same　old…fashioned　ideas。　These　idiosyncrasies　excited　no　comment　so　far　as　Nathan　was　concerned。　He　was　always　looked　upon　as　belonging　　to　some　antediluvian　period；　but　with　a　progressive　　man　like　Richard　the　case；　his　neighbors　thought；　might　have　been　different。

As　Richard　moved　about　the　room；　saluting　each　one　in　turn；　the　men　in　and　out　of　costumethe　guests　were　in　evening　dresslooked　at　each　other　and　smiled　at　the　old　gentleman's　quaint　ways；　but　the　old　gentleman；　with　the　same　ease　of　manner　and　speech；　continued　on　quite　around　the　table；　followed　closely　by　Nathan；　who　limited　his　salutations　to　a　timid　shake　of　the　fingers　and　the　leaving　of　some　word　of　praise　or　quaint　greeting；　which　many　of　them　remember　even　to　this　day。

These　introductions　overOliver　had　arrived　on　the　minutethe　ceremony　of　seating　the　guests　was　at　once　begun。　This　ceremony　was　one　of　great　dignity；　　the　two　men…at…arms　escorting　the　Master　of　the　Feast；　the　Most　High　Pan…Jam；　Frederico　Stono；　N。A。；　to　his　Royal　Chair；　guarded　by　the　immovable　blackamoors；　the　members　and　guests　standing　until　His　Royal　Highness　had　taken　his　seat；　and　then　dropping　into　their　own。　When　everyone　was　in　his　place　Richard　found　himself；　to　his　delight；　on　the　right　of　Fred　and　next　to　Nathan　and　Oliveran　honor　accorded　to　him　because　of　his　age　and　relationship　　to　one　of　the　most　popular　members　of　the　club；　and　not　because　of　his　genius　and　attainments　these　latter　attributes　being　as　yet　unknown　quantities　　in　that　atmosphere。　The　two　thus　seated　together　　under　the　especial　care　of　Olivera　fact　which　relieved　the　master　of　ceremonies　of　any　further　　anxiety　on　their　accountwere　to　a　certain　extent　left　to　themselves；　the　table　being　too　large　for　general　conversation　except　with　one's　neighbors。

The　seat　in　which　he　had　been　placed　exactly　suited　Richard's　frame　of　mind。　With　an　occasional　word　to　Fred；　he　sat　quite　still；　talking　now　and　then　in　low　tones　to　Nathan；　his　eyes　taking　in　every　detail　of　the　strange　scene。

While　Nathan　saw　only　the　color　and　beauty　of　it　all；　Richard's　keener　mind　was　analyzing　the　causes　that　had　led　up　to　such　a　gathering；　and　the　skill　and　taste　with　which　the　banquet　had　been　carried　out。　He　felt　assured　that　the　men　who　could　idle　so　luxuriously；　　and　whose　technical　knowledge　had　perfected　　the　artistic　effects　about　him；　could　also　work　at　their　several　professions　with　equal　results。　He　was　glad　that　Oliver　had　been　found　worthy　enough　to　be　admitted　to　such　a　circle。　He　loved；　too；　to　hear　his　son's　voice　and　watch　the　impression　his　words　made　on　the　room。　As　the　evening　wore　on；　and　he　listened　to　his　banter；　or　caught　the　point　of　the　jests　that　Oliver　parried　and　heard　his　merry　laugh；　he　would　slip　his　hand　under　the　table　and　pat　his　boy's　knee　with　loving　taps　of　admiration；　prouder　of　him　than　ever。　His　own　pleasures　so　absorbed　him　that　he　continued　to　sit　almost　silent；　except　for　a　word　now　and　then　to　Nathan　or　a　monosyllable　to　Fred。

The　guests　who　were　near　enough　to　observe　the　visitors　closely　soon　began　to　look　upon　Richard　and　Nathan　as　a　couple　of　quaint；　harmless；　exceedingly　well…bred　old　gentlemen；　rather　provincial　in　appearance　　and　a　little　stilted　in　their　manners；　who；　before　the　evening　was　over；　would；　perhaps；　become　tired　of　the　gayety；　ask　to　be　excused；　and　betake　themselves　　to　bed。　All　of　which　would　be　an　eminently　proper　proceeding　in　view　of　their　extreme　age　and　general　infirmities；　old　gentlemen　of　three　score　years　and　over　appearing　more　or　less　decrepit　to　athletes　of　twenty　and　five。

Waller　was　the　only　man　who　really　seemed　to　take　either　of　them　seriously。　After　a　critical　examination　　of　Richard's　head　in　clear　relief　under　the　soft　light　of　the　candles；　he　leaned　over　to　Stedman　　and　said；　in　a　half　whisper；　nodding　toward　Richard：

〃Stedman；　old　man；　take　that　in　for　a　minute。　Strong；　isn't　it？　Wouldn't　you　like　to　paint　him　as　a　blessed　old　Cardinal　in　a　red　gown？　See　how　fine　the　nose　is；　and　the　forehead。　Best　head　I've　seen　anywhere。　Something　in　that　old　fellow。〃

The　dinner　went　on。　The　Malays　in　scarlet　and　yellow　served　the　dishes　and　poured　the　wine　with　noiseless　regularity。　The　men　at　arms　at　each　side　of　the　door　rested　their　legs。　The　two　blackamoors；　guarding　the　High　Pan…Jam's　chair；　and　who　had　been　promised　double　pay　if　they　kept　still　during　the　entire　evening；　had　not　so　far　winked　an　eyelid。　Now　and　then　a　burst　of　laughter　would　start　from　one　end　of　the　table；　leap　from　chair　to　chair；　and　end　in　a　deafening　roar　in　which　the　whole　room　joined。　Each　man　was　at　his　best。　Fred；　with　entire　　gravity；　and　with　his　sternest　and　most　High　Pan…Jam　expression；　told；　just　after　the　fish　was　served；　a　story　of　a　negro　cook　at　a　camp　so　true　to　life　and　in　so　perfect　a　dialect　that　the　right…hand　blackamoor　doubled　himself　up　like　a　jack…knife；　much　to　the　astonishment　of　those　on　the　far　side　of　the　big　round　table；　who　up　to　that　moment　had　firmly　believed　them　to　be　studio　properties　with　ebony　heads　screwed　on　bodies　of　iron　wire；　the　whole　stuffed　with　curled　hair。　Bianchi；　Who　had　come　in　late；　clothed　in　a　Burgomaster's　costume　and　the　identical　ruff　that　Oliver　had　expected　to　paint　him　in　the　night　when　the　Countess　took　his　place；　was　called　to　account　for　piecing　out　his　dress　with　a　pair　of　breeches　a　centu